Mode of



narran STATES PATENT onmcn.

CHARLES S. PITMAN, OF SWAMPSCOT, MASSACHUSETTS.

MODE OF APPLYING SI-IAIETS TO AXLES.

Specification of Letters Patent No. 14,291, dated February 19, 1856.

T0 all whom t may concern:

Be it known that I, CHARLES S. PITMAN,

of Swampscot, in the co'unty of Essex and State of Massachusetts, have invented an Improvement in Applying a Carriage-Shaft to an Axletree; and I do hereby declare that the same is fully described and represented in the following specification and the accompanying drawings, of which- Figure 1, is a top view of my improved shaft connection; Fig. 2, a vertical and longitudinal section of it; Fig. 3, a horizontal and longitudinal section of it.

In these drawings, A, exhibits the rear portion of one of the shafts of the thills of a wagon or carriage.

B is the fork, and C is the screw bolt, by which the shaft is connected to the axletree, the fork being screwed or otherwise fastened to the latter.

To the rear end of the shaft, I aiiix by a metallic strap D, a cylindrical tubular block of vulcanized india rubber, E, which at each of its two ends I cause to project about a sixteenth of an inch beyond the shaft as seen at a, a, in Figs. 1, and 3. This cylinder of rubber I term the bolt and fork protector, because it turns on the metallic bolt, and being of a softer elastic material it prevents the bolt as well as the fork from being worn during the vertical motions of the shaft caused by the draft animal while the carriage is in use. A frequent cause of accident is the wearing of a connecting pin or bolt or that of its fork, so as to cause either to break by a sudden pull or strain on the shaft. Then again the noise created by the friction of the shaft against the bolt and the fork is often a source of great annoyance.

My object has been to protect all the rubbing parts, both from wear, and the liability of noise, and to afford a spring to ease the shock of sudden starting or stopping of the draft animal, and I do this by the application of a spring tube of rubber applied to and made to project fromy the shaft and to envelop the bolt of the fork as specified. Other advantages resulting from the application of such a tubular block of rubber might be set forth, but these may be deemed suflicient to illustrate the importance of my invention.

I do not claim the mere use of rubber, either to act as a spring or to prevent wear and noise, but what I do claim as my invention is- The manner in which I have applied such to a shaft and axle, the same consisting in extending the india rubber bolt protector each way beyond the holding strap in combination with extending it entirely around the bolt as specified whereby under any upward or downward movement of the shaft, not only the bolt, but the connection fork will be protected from wear and liability to make a noise, while under sudden starting or stopping of lthe draft animal connected to the shaft, the strain on the bolt and fork, will be eased by the spring or elasticity of the bolt protector.

In testimony whereof, I have hereunto set my signature this fourteenth day of January A. D. 1856.

C. S. PITMAN.

Witnesses:

EMERY I. PERKINS, SAML. C.PrrMAN. 

